Claire did not plan to end up mid-forties with a daughter studying in London and the unfortunate discovery that her husband is not the man she thought he was. In fact, he’s the exact opposite of a faithful, loyal, kind, and good-hearted spouse. And the discovery of his real nature and lack of remorse leads her to do what she never thought she would–divorce him.

After a year of wallowing before hitting rock bottom… in public, unfortunately, Claire realizes she needs to finally answer the question her therapist asked her all those months: “What do you really want?” It was a question she couldn’t answer then, but now she knows it’s time to figure it out.

It’s the turning point that leads Claire to change her life. And not just a little–a lot. She sells her house in Denver and moves to the city that has always had her heart — Chicago.

With the help of nosy neighbors, new friends, and a daughter who sets her up on a dating site from across the ocean, Claire begins to answer that big, important question by figuring out what she wants and how to live life on her own terms.

Courtney Walsh does it again! She continues to reign as my all-time favorite clean romance author, and books like this are exactly why. She just knows how to write deep, relatable characters who feel like real people and are so easy to root for. I also love that I never have to worry about language or spice in her books. I can simply settle into the story and enjoy the romance.

I listened to the audiobook, and Patti Murin continues to prove why she’s one of my favorite audiobook narrators. She knows how to perform a story and make every character come alive. This book was no exception. I was completely immersed and enthralled from beginning to end.

I especially loved that Walsh took a leap and centered this story around a woman in her forties. We need more romance books featuring older, mature characters who are starting new chapters in their lives! The entire story also gave me the nostalgic feeling of an early 2000s romcom. It brought me so much joy and laughter and felt like a warm hug to my heart.

I also loved the Chicago setting. I’ve never been to Chicago, but by the end of this book, I felt like I had spent time there with these characters. The city became such a fun backdrop for Claire’s fresh start and all of the new experiences she has along the way. This would be a perfect read for spring or summer.

There are so many laugh-out-loud moments in this story, but there are also plenty of deep, heartfelt ones. Claire is divorced, a single mom to a college-age daughter, and trying to figure out what comes next. After the humiliation and heartbreak of her husband cheating on her, she desperately needs a new chapter. So she moves to Chicago from Colorado and slowly begins building a completely different life for herself.

One of my favorite parts of the story was the wonderful found family Claire discovers through her new group of friends. These relationships brought so much warmth and heart to the book. Then, of course, there’s Miles.

While Claire’s daughter creates an online dating profile for her and encourages her to start dating again, it’s Miles who slowly begins helping Claire heal and open her heart to love again. I absolutely adored their sweet, slow-burn romance. He was so gentle and patient with Claire, never rushing her and taking the time to genuinely get to know her as a friend first.

He even helps her work through a bucket list of things she wants to experience as she moves forward from her old life. I love a good bucket list in a story because it creates so many opportunities for fun and memorable moments, and this one was no exception. I also loved the chemistry between Claire and Miles. Their witty banter was so much fun, but underneath it was this incredibly sweet connection that made me root for them even more.

But what made me love this book so much is that it’s about far more than finding a new romance. It’s about self-discovery and figuring out who you are after the life you thought you would have falls apart. It’s about finding not only love again, but finding yourself.

Claire’s journey is about allowing yourself to be vulnerable while also discovering your own strength. It’s about starting over, figuring out what you truly want from your life, chasing dreams you may have put aside, and realizing that it’s never too late for a new beginning.

It’s also a beautiful story about finding community. I loved watching Claire surround herself with people who genuinely supported and cared about her. She finally finds a group of people she can rely on and trust, and I loved how they constantly lifted each other up and showed up for one another. Those friendships felt so real, authentic, and relatable.

This book made me laugh, tear up, and grin like crazy. It gave me all the feelings I want from a romance while also delivering a meaningful story about healing, friendship, self-discovery, and starting over.

If you love romances with older, mature characters, charming side characters, personal growth, new beginnings, found family, witty banter, slow burn romance, and plenty of cozy, heartwarming moments, you absolutely need to pick this one up. I can’t recommend it enough!

Courtney Walsh remains a favorite for a reason, and I will always pick up anything she writes. This one was an easy 5 stars for me!